


Hangover Cure

by BarPurple



Series: Sluggys's Feb Prompts [24]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Actual Comunication, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-09-27 06:28:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9980396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: “I’m so stupid to make the mistake of falling in love with my best friend.”





	1. Chapter 1

Rum awoke to the smell of coffee and bacon. Normally that would have been a pleasant surprise, but his stomach roiled sourly and reminded him of the vast quantity of scotch he’d put away last night. He swung himself up right and blinked blearily around the room. This was not his bedroom; this was not even his living room. Oh gods, he’d gone to see Belle hadn’t he? What the hell had he said to her? Before he could piece together the events of last night him stomach lurched again forcing him to stagger to the bathroom.

Twenty shaky minutes later he emerged with a freshly washed face and minty breath, he’d never been so grateful that Belle kept a spare toothbrush here for him. He made his way back to the living room and found Belle waiting for him with a sympathetic smile.

“How are you feeling now?”

Rum eased himself into a chair and sighed; “Better. Think I can face a coffee.”

“And a bacon sandwich?”

“Let’s see if the coffee stays down first.”

The coffee had better stay down; his best friend did wonderful things with bread and bacon. Something stirred in the murky depths of his memory; suddenly he recalled the very important thing he’d been determined to say to Belle when he shambled to her doorstep last night. Oh Fuck.

“I was thinking about what you said last night.”

Oh bugger Belle had read his mind. She was oblivious to his inner turmoil as she tapped at her phone screen, what the hell should he say?

“Now obviously you can’t make a romantic play for your best friend, but maybe getting out and dating would help. What do you think of this site?”

Rum automatically took the offered phone and bowed his head to stare unseeing at the screen. He’d not held out much hope that his feelings would be reciprocated, but he’d expected her to let him down gently, maybe she’d done that last night. He blinked away a tear and really looked at the screen, if this was the kindness she was offering he’d take it. It took him a long moment to make sense of what he was seeing; what the actual hell?

“I tell you I’ve fallen in love with my best friend and a gay dating site is your answer?”

Belle sipped her coffee and gave him an encouraging nod.

“Well there’s no hope for a relationship with David, even if he does like you in that way I can’t see him leaving Mary Margaret, and you deserve so much better than to be the other man, so what do you think?”

Rum blinked several times in shock and bit his lips together to stop the million stupid things bubbling in his brain from pouring out of his mouth. Very slowly he put her phone and his coffee cup on the table before angling himself to face her directly.

“Belle, who do you think my best friend is?”

Her nose scrunched in that adorable way of hers, “David Nolan.”

Rum gave a little laugh, “He is a friend, but you are my best friend Belle.”

Her face went blank, oh well at least he was in a fit state to remember her rejection now. He wasn’t expecting the huge grin that spread across her face, or for her to throw herself into his arms.

“Umph, Belle?”

“I didn’t think you meant me! I cried myself to sleep last night after you told me, but I decided that I’d be a supportive as possible because I didn’t want to lose what we have.”

Hearing that she’d cried made him hold her closer.

“But why did you think I meant David?”

Belle pulled back just enough to settle on his lap so she could look him in the eye.

“Because you kept saying that this was all because of him.”

He still couldn’t remember exactly how he’d worded his declaration of love, but clearly it wasn’t as eloquent as he’d hoped.

“I was drinking with David last night, he was the one who told me I should be honest with you. I guess that all got mixed up in my scotch addled brain.”

Belle giggled at him, “That would explain why I got the wrong end of the stick,” She nibbled her bottom lip and gave him a shy smile, “Do you want to try again now your head is clearer?”

She was looking for confirmation, to make sure there was no misunderstanding this time, which he could most certainly do for her. He licked his lips and looked right into her pretty blue eyes.

“Belle French, you are my best friend and I have fallen in love with you…”

He had got more words lined up, words explaining how he didn’t expect anything more form her than her friendships, but he never got a chance to say them because Belle’s lips pressed against his in a brief sweet kiss. His head moved forward with her trying to chase her lips as she pulled away.

“Rum Gold, you are my best friend and I have fallen in love with you.”

They shared a dopey grin and kissed again; this was the best hangover cure Rum had even found.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bookwormchocaholic said:  
> Hangover Cure Prompt: Could we possibly see Rum's drunken confession from Belle's POV? :)

Belle slipped her bookmark between the pages and padded towards the front door. It was after ten on Saturday night and she wasn’t expecting anyone, but sometimes Ruby would drop by with a bottle of wine for an impromptu girl’s night. She took a look through the peep hole and frowned, that was defiantly not Ruby, but she did recognize the swaying figure that was clinging to her doorframe. She carefully opened the door and still had to catch Rum as he staggered across the threshold. The odour of scotch on him was unmistakable.

“Rum? Are you alright?”

He gave her a bleary eyed smile and with surprising co-ordination considering how drunk he was he gently bopped her on the nose with one long finger.

“Need to tell you something very important. It’s very important.”

She couldn’t help but giggle at the sing-song cadence his voice took on as he tried to stop his words from slurring. He was hanging on to the hall wall now, which gave her time to close the door before she had to turn around and grab him so he didn’t slip to the floor. 

“Come on let’s get you sat down, then you can tell me what’s so important.”

Belle had helped her fair share of drunk friends walk the short distance to her couch. Pulling Rum’s arm around her shoulder and wrapping her arm around his waist made her very aware of how well she fit against him, she could feel the heat rolling of him and even reeking of scotch he still smelt good. She gave herself a mental slap; Rum clearly needed a friend right now, this was not the time to be thinking like a crush-struck teenager, of course that would be easier if she wasn’t harbouring a huge crush on her friend.

“S’all David’s fault y’ken?”

“Is it now?”

“Aye it tis.” 

She had to nudge Rum to get him to sit down, he flopped onto the couch with an oomph and a giggle, he was at the adorable drunk stage where everything was funny.

“Sit tight. I’m going to grab you a glass of water.”

By the time she’d got back he was flopped back against the couch cushions, his eyes half closed and his hair floofed out around his head, the silver strands catching the light like a halo. Belle was even more tempted than usual to run her fingers through it. The temptation was easy to resist, Rum was in no fit state to accept or reject her affections, she wasn’t a hundred per cent sure he was even awake at the moment.

“Rum? Rum?”

His eyes slammed open and he squinted at her, a sloppy grin spreading across his face.

“Belle. Got to tell you important thing.”

“Drink some of this first.”

He reached for the glass and closed his hand around thin air a good foot away from it. Belle fondly rolled her eyes and got it into his hands. He glugged back a third of in and then with exaggerated care placed it on the coffee table. He stayed leaning forward his arms resting on his knees, his head hanging down so his hair hid his face. With a deep sigh he rolled his head and focused on her.

“See I’d done something stupid, and it’s David’s fault, him with his chiselled teeth and shiny jaw,” - Rum’s brow creased as he considered his words, - “Wait no, chiselled jaw and shiny teeth, have you ever noticed how straight David’s teeth are? What was I saying? Oh yeah, see I have fallen in love with my best friend and I don’t know what to do about it.”

Belle realised her mouth had fallen open, she closed it with snap that made her teeth rattle. Rum had fallen in love with his best friend. She watched as his eyes fluttered closed and her slumped sideways on the couch, asleep before his head bumped the cushions. Rum was in love with his best friend. She rose quietly and knelt by the couch to tug Rum’s shoes from his feet and settle him more comfortably. He loved his best friend. The moment she covered him with the throw from the back of the couch he cuddled into in and gave a soft snore. She walked from the room, switching the light off as she left. 

It wasn’t until she was in her bedroom that she felt the first tear slid down her cheek. Rum was in love with his best friend David Nolan. Belle buried herself under her duvet and let her tears fall. She’d been hopeful that Rum and her would become more than friends, but after his confession tonight that hope lay shattered. Rum wasn’t interested in her romantically; he wasn’t interested in woman at all. A fresh wave of tears hit her when she thought about who Rum was in love with, David was a married man, a happily married man as far as she could tell. Poor Rum, his ideal man was as off limits as hers was. Had David given him signs that he was interested, or was Rum in the same position as her carry a torch for someone who didn’t return his feelings? She snuffled her tears into her pillow case and then flipped the pillow over. Rum was her friend, and she didn’t want to lose that, in the morning she would begin to help him find another man, one who would love him as much as he deserved. She didn’t think his feelings for David would vanish overnight, hers for him wouldn’t, but maybe if he got into the dating game he wouldn’t pine away for David. She snorted at the thought that if she was going to advise Rum to do that then she should probably try that for herself as well.


End file.
